This article introduces methods for creating a research proposal necessary for graduate school admissions and thesis writing.
If you are considering writing a thesis or applying to graduate school, please refer to this guide.
*Note: This article focuses on how to create a research proposal in the field of social sciences, based on the author’s research achievements and experiences in graduate school. Please be aware that the appropriate methods may vary depending on the research area.
▼For the author’s profile, please refer to the information below.
Introduction
If you are considering applying for graduate school or need to conduct research for your thesis, creating a “research proposal” is essential. However, many people struggle with how to write a research proposal, choose a research topic, and produce a paper that is academically valued.
In this article, I will introduce how to write a highly rated research proposal, drawing on my experience of obtaining two master’s degrees both domestically and internationally, and publishing research in an international economic journal. My master’s degrees are in the fields of Economics and International Studies, so this will be particularly useful for those interested in similar research areas. Please take a look.
▼The author’s research paper
▼The research institution where the author’s paper was published
How to Write a Highly Rated Research Proposal
Step 1: Selecting Your Research Topic
First and foremost, an indispensable aspect of writing a research proposal is selecting a research topic. While choosing a topic of personal interest is crucial, there are also themes that may be academically less significant or challenging to research. Let’s explore the following points to help you find an appropriate research topic.
Checklist for Choosing a Research Topic
Examples of Undesirable Research Topics
- Personal Hobbies or Preferences: Avoid selecting topics solely based on personal interests or hobbies that lack relevance to general academic interests or societal issues.
- Overly Specific Topics: Research topics that are too narrowly focused and cannot be generalized may result in lower academic evaluation. It’s important to choose topics with broader relevance and applicability.
Points to Consider When Selecting an Appropriate Research Topic
- Novelty: Choose a topic that can provide new and unique information, differentiating it from past research.
- Generalizability: Opt for a topic that can yield results applicable to a broader context and can potentially influence a larger audience.
Consider these points when selecting your research topic.
If you’re interested in a detailed explanation with examples regarding the selection of research topics, click on the link below for more information!
“Selecting a Research Topic” Detailed Explanation
When selecting a research topic, it’s essential to ensure its relevance to social or academic issues. Remember, research isn’t about personal satisfaction but about providing valuable information for others. The higher the societal importance of your findings, the more attractive your research becomes. Additionally, ensure that your research topic is unique and offers something novel. Avoid topics related solely to personal hobbies or interests, such as ranking anime popularity or comparing members of favorite idol groups, as they lack relevance to academic or social concerns.
Focusing on social issues alone isn’t enough; your research topic should also be broad enough to yield generalizable results. For instance, consider a topic like “The daily life of Homeless individual D residing in Area B of Prefecture A.” While this topic addresses a social issue and offers uniqueness by focusing on individual D, the results may not generalize beyond this specific case. Aim for a topic that can provide insights applicable to a broader context, contributing to a more significant societal impact.
Moreover, ensure the feasibility of your research topic. Confirm access to necessary data and resources, as attempting research without them can lead to complications later on. I’ve experienced this firsthand when I proceeded with research without considering data availability and had to change my topic midway.
Overall, choose a topic that addresses societal or economic issues aligned with your interests, offers novelty or complements existing research, and can yield generalizable results with broader societal implications. Such a topic is more likely to garner academic recognition and contribute meaningfully to your field and society at large.
Step 2: Constructing Your Research Proposal
Once you’ve settled on your research topic, it’s tempting to dive straight into creating your research proposal. However, before doing so, it’s crucial to think about the structure of your research proposal.
This approach is applicable across many fields because creating a framework initially allows you to achieve more refined results. For example, when building a house, you first create detailed blueprints before starting construction, right? Similarly, in writing research proposals or papers, it’s essential to think about the blueprint or structure of your document.
A well-structured research proposal that is likely to be appreciated may vary depending on the research topic, but here is my recommended structure:
- Background of the Research
- Problem Statement
- Research Question
- Objectives and Significance of the Study
- Literature Review
- Research Methodology and Data
The crucial aspect here is to craft a logically structured research proposal. No matter how valuable the research content is, without coherence in its structure, readers may struggle to comprehend, resulting in an unfriendly document for them. Research gains meaning only when it is read by someone. Therefore, in addition to the content itself, it’s essential to consider the reader’s perspective and create a research proposal with a logical framework.
Step 3: Start Writing Based on the Structure of Your Research Proposal
Here, I will provide a summary of key points for each section of the research proposal structure I introduced earlier, using examples from the actual research paper I have written.
Background of the Research
In the “Background of the Research” section, you’ll summarize general information and the historical, statistical, and societal background related to your chosen topic. Since not all readers will have expertise in your research topic, providing an overview of the topic is crucial. It’s important to note that this section is not about explaining why you’re interested in the research, but rather about providing context on the historical, statistical, and societal background of your research topic.
Example of “Background of the Research” section, utilizing the author’s research:
I have linked my paper at the beginning; the research topic of my paper is “The Impact of the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).”
In the research background, I explain the definitions and explanations of AKFTA and FDI, as well as their respective trends and histories. Additionally, I am mindful of conveying the social significance of FDI, the subject of my study, using specific statistical indicators.
By including this “research background” at the beginning, readers without expertise can better understand the research content, and you can clearly communicate what you want to research.
Problem Statement
“In Problem Statement,” you show where there is discussion or an issue in your research theme. If you followed Step 1 in selecting your research theme, there should be social, economic, or academic issues or points of contention in your research theme. It is important to explain these points by referring to past precedents in previous research.
Example of “Problem Statement” section, utilizing the author’s research:
In my research, I identified a lack of academic clarity regarding the impact of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), particularly concerning the varying outcomes based on the type of FDI and the nature of the FTA.
For instance, while paper A argues that “FTAs increase FDI,” paper B suggests the opposite, stating that “FTAs decrease FDI.” This discrepancy in previous research creates an academic debate within my research theme.
To address this, I chose to focus on the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) as a case study to highlight the academic debate surrounding this theme in the “Problem Statement” section. This approach allows me to establish the significance of my research while ensuring its uniqueness.
Research Question
In the “Research Questions” section, you outline “what you want to uncover through your research” based on the background of your research theme and the problem statement. It’s acceptable to have multiple research questions as long as they are relevant to your research theme. These research questions serve as the core of your paper, as you will conduct analyses to answer them.
Example of “Research Question” section, utilizing the author’s research:
In my research, the research questions, based on the aforementioned problem statement, are: “Is the impact of the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) positive or negative?” and “To what extent is this impact?”
While my actual paper includes more detailed and specific conditions to add novelty and uniqueness, these main research questions encapsulate the primary points I aim to address. Using the research methods to be explained later, uncovering answers to these research questions will constitute the results obtained from this study.
Objectives and Significance of the Study
In the “Objectives and Significance of the Study” section, you elucidate the societal and academic significance of your research questions. As mentioned during topic selection, being able to articulate the significance of your research in your research proposal or paper is a crucial factor in evaluating its merit. In academic settings such as paper presentations at conferences or graduate school admissions, it’s common to be asked, “What is the significance of your research?” Not being able to answer this question may lead to the perception that your research lacks societal or academic value. Therefore, it’s essential to include this section in your research proposal to verify the importance of your study.
Example of “Objectives and Significance of the Study” section, utilizing the author’s research:
In my research, I aimed to provide new insights into the academic discourse surrounding the impact of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by elucidating the results specific to AKFTA.
Moreover, I emphasized the significance of overcoming data limitations and statistical challenges not addressed in previous studies to ensure the credibility of my research findings and assert its originality.
By revealing the impact of AKFTA on FDI, my study serves as a valuable tool for assessing the economic viability of AKFTA and can contribute to policy recommendations. Furthermore, it has the potential to make contributions to research on other FTAs.
These points serve as an example of how crucial it is to assert that your research holds significance and contributes meaningfully to the field.
Literature Review
Here, you will summarize previous research relevant to the research questions you have posed. This section is crucial as it showcases both the academic debates surrounding the topic and your expertise in the field by presenting a multitude of previous studies. The abundance of prior research not only enhances the credibility of your own study but also mitigates the possibility that “others are conducting the same research.”
To be frank, writing an evaluative research proposal or paper necessitates reading a vast amount of existing literature. However, this is crucial. A thorough understanding of previous research enhances the quality of your study and helps identify its significance and originality.
Previous research serves as the foundation for improving the quality of your paper and forms the basis for the development of your study. To draw a parallel with RPG games, understanding previous research is akin to gaining experience points. Therefore, it is essential to read literature relevant to your research topic in order of importance.
To accumulate knowledge from previous research, it’s essential to consistently read scholarly papers every day.
If you’re interested in tips for making things a habit, check out the article below!
Research Methodology and Data
In the “Research Methodology and Data” section, you explain the data and analytical methods you will use to address your research questions. Research methods can broadly be categorized into “quantitative research” and “qualitative research.” It’s crucial to decide in advance which research method you will use based on previous studies. Additionally, as mentioned during the topic selection phase, it’s essential to ensure that your research is feasible, taking into account issues such as access to data.
For example, suppose you decide on a theme like “The Impact of COVID-19 on Primary Education in African Countries.” This theme seems to have high social significance and is intriguing. However, if African governments or international organizations have not disclosed data on this theme, or if the data simply doesn’t exist, conducting the research becomes impossible.
No matter how significant and fascinating your research question is in terms of societal and academic importance, it’s meaningless if the research cannot be conducted. Therefore, it’s crucial to make sure your research proposal is solidified during the planning stage.
There are various types of research methods, so I’ll introduce them in another article!
The summary of this article
The key points of the article are summarized as follows:
- Start by selecting a research theme.
- Ensure that the research theme is unique and holds societal and academic significance.
- Determine whether the necessary data for the research is accessible.
- Develop the structure of the research proposal.
- Cover prior research relevant to the chosen theme.
- Write the research proposal while being mindful of the significance of the research based on the established structure.
By applying the insights from this article to your research, it is hoped that you can create a high-quality research proposal. While conducting a thorough review of previous research may be time-consuming, persistence in this endeavor will help you achieve your goals effectively!
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